Exam 23: Securities Regulation

Reference - Coffee shops. Bernice wants to open a chain of coffee shops and begins by asking her friends in various states around the country to invest through the purchase of securities in the coffee shops. Her friend Robbie says that he would like to invest but that she should be sure that she satisfies requirements of the SEC. He tells her that she has to provide information to the SEC involving a description of the securities, an explanation of how proceeds will be used, information regarding the management of the company, and other matters. He tells her that she also has to provide a document to the SEC that will be provided as an advertising tool to potential investors who can rely on it to decide whether they should buy securities. Bernice says that she does not want to do that. She explains to Robbie that insofar as the coffee shop venture is concerned, she does not want to advertise; and she wants to offer securities only to a limited number of wealthy friends. Particularly, she has in mind Scott who has a net worth of at least $3 million and Mary, a psychiatrist. Mary recently filed bankruptcy because of some bad decisions involving an elaborate decoration of her office. Although her income for the past couple of years has been in the range of $80,000, business is improving based on her recent involvement with a number of patients suffering anxiety based upon a fear of alien invasion. Which of the following is the term for the document referenced by Robbie to be provided to the SEC that will be used as an advertising tool by potential investors who can rely on it to decide whether they should buy securities?

Which of the following regulates how companies issue corporate securities?

Which of the following was the result on appeal in United States v. Carpenter, the case in the text in which it was claimed that federal securities law was violated by a scheme by which confidential information gained in the course of obtaining news material for the Wall Street Journal was sold to stockbrokers?

Set forth what a registration statement filed with the SEC generally contains.

Securities may be sold during the prefiling period.

Which of the following refer to state securities laws?

Reference - Presidential Profits. Linda was president of a publicly traded tractor company, Tough Tractors. Linda became aware that stock in her company would likely increase significantly in value because her company had a contract to purchase the assets of Rough Tractors. The boards of both companies wanted the information kept confidential until the purchase was complete and a news release was made. Before the news was made public, Linda immediately purchased a significant number of shares in Tough Tractors. Linda also told her friend Frank about the contract to purchase assets. Frank, who knew that the information was not public, told his brother, George. Frank and George purchased a number of shares of stock in Tough Tractors prior to any public announcement of the sale. After the public announce was made and the purchase of assets went through, Linda, George and Frank, all sold their shares in Tough Tractors and made a nice profit. Which of the following would describe Frank in receiving the information from Linda and acting upon it?

Which of the following oversees the purchase and sale of securities?

Reference - In Trouble. Bruno, an issuer of stock, may be in trouble. He sold stock in a new health club venture before the effective date of registration. He did so because was in financial trouble involving other ventures of his and needed additional funds. Bruno thought that the health club venture would be such a success that he would never get caught in regard to the stock sale. Unfortunately, he was wrong. The health club venture was going very poorly and investors were looking for some way to hold Bruno responsible. Another problem Bruno has is that he inflated information regarding the prospects of the health club in the prospectus. Investors bitterly complained. Rick, a new lawyer, told Bruno that as far as he knew, the SEC could fine Bruno under the Securities Act of 1933 but could not send him to jail. Bruno told Rick that was good news and that no one should feel sorry for the investors because none of them made any effort to check on information contained in the prospectus or to investigate the future profitability of the health club venture. Bruno says that he plans to rely on the due diligence defense. Bruno also asks Rick if he is aware of any other defenses. Bruno says that he has never previously been in trouble with the SEC. Which of the following is true regarding Bruno's sale of securities before the effective date of registration?

Which of the following limits shareholders' ability to bring class action suits against nationally traded companies?

Which of the following permit(s) the SEC to seek punishment of violators of foreign securities laws?

Which of the following references a brief ad that may be issued by an issuer during the waiting period?

How are the heads of the Securities and Exchange Act chosen?

Which of the following is a reason Congress passed the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995?

Reference - Presidential Profits. Linda was president of a publicly traded tractor company, Tough Tractors. Linda became aware that stock in her company would likely increase significantly in value because her company had a contract to purchase the assets of Rough Tractors. The boards of both companies wanted the information kept confidential until the purchase was complete and a news release was made. Before the news was made public, Linda immediately purchased a significant number of shares in Tough Tractors. Linda also told her friend Frank about the contract to purchase assets. Frank, who knew that the information was not public, told his brother, George. Frank and George purchased a number of shares of stock in Tough Tractors prior to any public announcement of the sale. After the public announce was made and the purchase of assets went through, Linda, George and Frank, all sold their shares in Tough Tractors and made a nice profit. For which of the following is George liable?

Reference - Presidential Profits. Linda was president of a publicly traded tractor company, Tough Tractors. Linda became aware that stock in her company would likely increase significantly in value because her company had a contract to purchase the assets of Rough Tractors. The boards of both companies wanted the information kept confidential until the purchase was complete and a news release was made. Before the news was made public, Linda immediately purchased a significant number of shares in Tough Tractors. Linda also told her friend Frank about the contract to purchase assets. Frank, who knew that the information was not public, told his brother, George. Frank and George purchased a number of shares of stock in Tough Tractors prior to any public announcement of the sale. After the public announce was made and the purchase of assets went through, Linda, George and Frank, all sold their shares in Tough Tractors and made a nice profit. Which of the following would describe Linda in providing information about the asset sale to Frank?

Which of the following are acts regulating securities transactions?

Which of the following must occur in order for the exemption involving intrastate issues to apply?

Under the 1933 Act, any security offered or sold to a permanent resident of the single state where the issuer of the security resides and does business is exempt.

What was the result on appeal in Steven Klein, Warren Brandwine v. General Nutrition Companies, Inc., the case in the text in which the plaintiffs claimed that defendant GNC violated several securities regulations by failing to disclose material facts in its prospectus?